Pressure head assembly having individual pressure elements



Dec. 3, 1957 w. SPANHEL ETAL 2,815,051

PRESSURE HEAD ASSEMBLY HAVING INDIVIDUAL PRESSURE ELEMENTS I Filed May18.. 1956 Waller Span/2e! Jeff X Cromeens United States Patent PRESSUREHEAD ASSEMBLY HAVING INDIVIDUAL PRESSURE ELEMENTS Walter Spanhel and Jelf Y. Cromeens, Dallas, Tex. Application May 18, 1956, Serial No.585,665

6 Claims. (Cl. 144-289) This invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in pressure head assemblies.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved pressure headassembly for holding wood pieces or other work of different thicknessagainst displacement relative to a support so as to facilitate workingon the wood pieces or portions thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved pressure headassembly for use with a wood working or similar machine and having aplurality of resiliently-mounted elements for maintaining wood pieces ofdifferent thickness in positive engagement with conveying means wherebythe wood pieces are held against displacement while being conveyedthrough the machine and beneath the pressure head assembly.

A particular object of the invention is to provide an improved pressurehead assembly, of the character described, wherein theresiliently-mounted elements are arranged in overlapping relationshipand coact to present a substantially continuous bearing surface havingindependently-movable portions for engagement with wood pieces ofdifferent thickness whereby the wood pieces may travel beneath thebearing surface without being displaced.

An important object of the invention is to provide an improved pressurehead assembly, of the character described, which includes a plurality ofspring-pressed lugs slidably mounted in a pressure head and havingenlarged depending portions which overlap the depending portions ofadjacent lugs to form the substantially continuous bearing surface.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved pressurehead assembly, of the character described, wherein the enlargeddepending portions of the springpressed lugs are in the form of flangesand have overlapping end portions which are bevelled to facilitatetravel of the wood pieces therebeneath.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafterdescribed, together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of thefollowing specification and by reference to the accompanying drawing,wherein an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

Fig. l is an end elevational view, partly in section, of a pressure headassembly constructed in accordance with the invention,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal, vertical, sectional view, partly in elevation,of a portion of the assembly in operation,

Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are perspective views of the springpressed lugs of theassembly.

In the drawing, the numeral designates a pressure head assemblyembodying the principles of the invention and including a pressure head11 which may be of hollow construction and which is adapted to beconnected to a conventional ram or other support (not shown) forvertical adjustment. The head is substantially rectangular, beingelongated horizontally, and has a flat bottom ICE wall 12. A pluralityof coextensive, longitudinal walls or flanges 13 depend from the bottomwall in parallel, spaced pairs to provide channels or grooves 14therebetween on the underside of the head 11. Although subject tovariation, three channels are preferred and the ends of the channels areclosed by overlying end plates 15 which are fastened to the ends of theflanges 13 by suitable screws 16. Each channel 14 is rectangular incross-section and has opposed shoulders or inwardly-directed lips 17 onthe lower margins of the flanges and extending throughout the lengththereof.

A plurality of individual pressure elements or lugs 18, 19 and 20 aresupported for substantially vertical reciprocation in each channel. Eachlug includes a horizontal, flat, rectangular head 21 which is slidablymounted in the channel between its side walls 13 and which is supportedby the shoulders 17. A helical spring 22 is provided for resilientlyurging each lug outwardly or downwardly of the channel 14 with its head21 in engagement with the shoulders, and a circular recess or sump 23 isformed in the upper end of each lug head for receiving the lower end ofthe spring. The upper ends of the springs 22 are confined in similarrecesses 24 formed in the lower surface of an overlying bar or header 25which is co-extensive with the channel and which is supported by saidsprings in engagement with the bottom of the channel. Since the lugheads are disposed in contiguous or substantially abutting relationship,the springs are confined against displacement by the coaction of therecesses 23 and 24.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the lugs 18 and 20 include upright, medial,depending, lower portions, cleats or flanges 26 and 27, respectively,which are enlarged or elongated and which extend longitudinally of thehead 11 and its channel 14. Since the lugs 18 are mounted at the ends ofthe channels (Fig. 2), only the inner end portion 28 of each flange 26extends beyond the head of its lug. Both end portions 29 of each flange27 extend beyond the head of its lug 20. Each lug 19 has a. pair ofparallel, spaced flanges 30, similar to the flanges 27 and having endportions 31 adapted to receive the end portions 28 and 29 there between.It is noted that the flanges 26, 27 and 30 are of suflicient length tooverlap without touching and without interfering with relative movementof adjacent flanges and their lugs. The flanges 30 are of less thicknessthan the flanges 26 and 27 and the 'space therebetween is of greaterwidth to accommodate said latter flanges without binding.

Flat, horizontal, lower surfaces 32, 33 and 34, respectively, areprovided on the medial portions of the flanges 26, 27 and 30 and thesesurfaces coact to present a substantially continuous bearing surface forengagement with wood pieces or other work W (Fig. 2). The upper andlower surfaces of the flange end portions 28, 29 and 31 are bevelled asshown at 35, 36 and 37 so as to converge toward each other, while anupwardly and outwardly inclined lower surface 38 is formed on the outerend of each flange 26. As shown in Fig. 2, the pressure head 11 isadapted to overlie and coact with the horizontal bed or table 39 of awood working or similar machine (not shown) having an endless conveyor40 of the plate-type for supporting and carrying the wood pieces W toand through said machine. Suitable cleats 41 may be formed on theconveyor at spaced intervals-for engagement with the wood pieces. It isnoted that the wood pieces, which usually are of short length, vary inthickness and extend transversely of the table 39 and its conveyor 40for movement longitudinally of the pressure head to permit sawing,grooving or other working of the end portions of said wood pieces. Ofcourse, the elevation of the pressure head is adjusted in accordancewith the average thickness of the wood pieces whereby the .engage theside walls 13 of the channels lugs resiliently engage and confine saidwood pieces against displacement during travel beneath said head. Due tothe inclined surface 38 of the end lug 18, initial engagement of, thewood pieces Wis facilitated. As shown in 'Fig. 2, the lugs are movableindependently of one another to permit engagement of'the flat surfaces32, 33 and 34 of .the lugs '18, "1'9 and'20 with wood pieces ofdifferent thickness and movement of said wood pieces from beneath onelug to another. Rocking or tilting of .thelugs is permitted by the upperand lower bevelled surfaces 35, 36 and 37 of the end portions 28, 29 and31 pointed out that the wood pieces need not be in engage- :ment asshown and may be fed to the machine one at a time. Pivotal movement ofthe wood pieces is prevented by the provision of two or more rows oflugs which coact to positively hold said wood pieces againstdisplacement. As explained, the heads 21 of the lugs slidably 14 and areconfined against longitudinal displacement by the end plates 15.

The foregoing descripton of the invention is explanatory thereof andvarious changes in the size, shape and materials, as well as in thedetails of the illustrated construction may be made, within the scope ofthe appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A pressure head assembly for holding work of different thicknessagainst displacement while permitting travel of the work therebeneathincluding a pressure head, a plurality of elements reciprocally mountedin the underside of the head and depending therefrom for engagement withthe Work, resilient means carried by said head for urging the elementsoutwardly thereof, said elements being disposed in substantial alinementwith one another and having .enlarged overlapping lower portionselongated longitudinally of the direction of travel of the work toprovide a substantially'continuousbearing surface therefor.

2. A pressure head assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the enlargedlower portions of the elements are in the form of flanges havingoverlapping end portions.

3. A pressure head assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein the endportions of the flanges have bevelled lower surfaces to facilitatetravel of the work from beneath one element to another.

4. A pressure head assembly for holding work of different thicknessagainst displacement while permitting travel of the work therebeneathincluding a pressure head, a plurality of spring-pressed lugs slidablymounted in the underside of the head for substantially verticalreciprocation relative to said head and to one another, each lug having21 depending flange extending longitudinally of the direction of travelof the Work for engagement therewith, the flanges of adjacent lugshaving overlapping end portions to provide a substantially continuousbearing surface for the work.

5. A pressure head assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein alternatelugs have a pair of flanges for overlapping the single flanges ofadjacent lugs.

-6. A pressure head assembly as set forth in claim 4 including a channelin the underside of the pressure head and extending longitudinally ofthe direction of travel of the work for slidably supporting the lugs,and a spring confined'in the channel by each element for urging theelement outwardly of said head whereby the elements may undergosubstantially vertical independent movement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,619,999 Lehmann Dec. 2, 1952 2,724,296 Parrish et al. Nov. 22, 19552,754,708 Peterson July 17, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 315,925 Germany Nov.15, 1919

